Who is responsible for registration?

[JJEXP]

I had my Colt Defender seized during a traffic stop, and I would like a little clarity on some things. So here's the story:

I was pulled over for speeding very very early in the a.m. a few weeks ago, and was then asked by the officer to step out of the car for a sobriety test. At that point I informed the officer I was carrying, he took the gun, and my permit and called in the serial number. The gun came back as registered to somebody else (previous owner? I bought it used at a dealer) but was not reported as stolen. The officer then seized my gun, mags, ammo, and holster, and continued on with 20 minutes of "Where did you steal this gun from?" and "Don't lie, did you steal this gun?" Eventually, I was able to retrieve my gun and whatnot by going down to the station with my transfer paperwork and sales receipt.

Now to the question, because PA doesn't require you to register your handgun, does this happen often? I was under the impression that the transfer paperwork would have taken care of whatever information needs to be entered into the system so that the gun comes back to me, during such incidents. Am I at fault here for failing to register the gun, or is the gun shop to blame?

[DefensiveCarry.com]

[Bud White]

Cant help ya directly with your question as it differs state to state

But here we are i have to submit the pistol with in 10 days of purchase to register it

Granted i hate it but it does come in handy if there is a problem with the computers etc as i get a little green card with all my and the guns info on it showing i am legal owner

[P95Carry]

If the gun store had you fill in the 4473, and the white sheet (the one for handguns that has a copy go to local Sheriff Office - SP4 IIRC) ..... that was all you had to do.

Not registration per se but - almost as good - that said if those were done you and the store had fullfilled your obligations.

Quite how the gun got listed as being someone else's - that's a puzzle right now.

[MNBurl]

No registration required (explicitly not allowed) in Minnesota. So, I can't help you.

[Bob The Great]

that's kind of a scary story. Yet another reason against gun registration - beaurocratic slip-ups happen, even if the end user jumps through all the hoops perfectly, and some poor guy will get burned by it. Glad you were able to retrieve your property eventually.

[pogo2]

Gun registration is stupid and pointless. It creates a database that is quickly out of date and full of errors, administered by incompetent state employees who could not find work in the private sector. Then it is used by some thug in a uniform to accuse an honest citizen of being a thief.

I sympathize with you.

[jeffkirchner]

Check the requirements for registration where you live. Before March 14, there were some cities in Ohio that required registration (some might, still, for all I know)but the state doesn't. I've never had to register a firearm.

[ecbaatz]

Bud,

Now you know it is not a registration. Michigan doesn't require you to "register" handguns. It is a "safety inspection" even if it does state

"A cursory inspection has been made of this pistol presented. A check for operational or mechanical defects has not been made of this pistol"

Interesting that is is called a Safety Inspection (grin).

Eric

[American Pit Bull]

The PA State Police "Handgun Sales Database" that they claim isn't a gun registry was hard at work here...

[General Geoff]

I live in PA, and let me tell you; if anything like that were to happen to me, I would quickly note to the officer that using or retaining handgun sales records as a form of registration is a felony in the state of Pennsylvania, and I'd be more than eager to press charges against both him and his department if he didn't give me my gun back immediately.

I'd imagine there would be plenty of attorneys who would take the case, too.

[JJEXP]

I live in PA, and let me tell you; if anything like that were to happen to me, I would quickly note to the officer that using or retaining handgun sales records as a form of registration is a felony in the state of Pennsylvania, and I'd be more than eager to press charges against both him and his department if he didn't give me my gun back immediately.

I'd imagine there would be plenty of attorneys who would take the case, too.

I definetly wasn't thinking along those lines as I was staring down the barrel of a glock while my weapon was being seized

[SIXTO]

Is there more to the story? Did you just get a ticket and FST, and sent on your way? I'm trying to picture how this went down, the pieces just aint fitting.

[General Geoff]

Oh, and do you remember if this is the state police, or the local police?

In either case, I'd call their department and tell them that you were harrassed, had your lawfully purchased and owned gun siezed from you, and you are filing a request for internal investigation with the FBI.


If nothing else, you'll have them sweating bullets for awhile.

[JJEXP]

I'm not sure what fst means. Firearms seizure? I was issued a speeding ticket, and that was it. I went home minus one gun and plus one 200 dollar ticket.

It was local police.

[General Geoff]

If they were locals, perhaps it'd be a good idea to call from a payphone and not mention who you are... elsewise they might try to make your life a living hell for calling the FBI on em.